October 04, 2007
Microsoft Introduces No-Cost, Online Personal Health Record
According to today's New York Times, Microsoft announced a new no-cost, online personal health record program called HealthVault which will also include an Internet search function for health queries.
The PHR is being developed in conjunction with with hospitals, disease-prevention groups, health care companies and other potential partners. Microsoft is developing HealthVault projects with organizations, such as:
* American Health Association;
* Johnson & Johnson LifeScan;
* Mayo Clinic;
* MedStar Health; and
* NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital.
Microsoft hopes that individuals will grant physicians, clinics and hospitals the right to access test results and other medical information directly to their HealthVault account. This includes the right to transmit prescriptions. One of the partners, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital in New York is planning to conduct a pilot project that will enable certain types of patient data to automatically be transmitted to patients' HealthVault accounts. The American Heart Association is working with Microsoft on an online blood pressure management tool that will allow patients to go to the association's Web site and open a HealthVault account with their blood-pressure readings, weight and medication data.
Also, Johnson & Johnson LifeScan is working with Microsoft to allow the readouts from diabetes patients' glucose monitors to be added to patients' HealthVault account.
Privacy Concerns
Privacy has always been a major concern that has hindered the adoption of PHRs. HealthVault PHRs will be stored in a secure, encrypted database, and patients will be able to set the privacy controls ini which they can specify what information goes into their PHR and who can view their record.
In reference to the online health searches, Microsoft said that HealthVault searches are conducted anonymously and will not be connected to patients' personal information.
Posted by rsk at October 4, 2007 03:32 PM